Tonight: John Legend to Jam for Judaism

John Legend at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Fittingly in time for Black Music Month in June, tonight at 8 PM, nine-time Grammy award winning R&B crooner and philanthropist John Legend will be performing in downtown Manhattan at Capitale NY in a concert benefit for the UJA-Federation of New York. Ticket prices range from $360 – for one general admission ticket – to $20,000 “Legend” package tickets where six guests will receive the VIP treatment and can come meet the artist as well as having their names listed as “Legend” on a Scroll of Honor. At the time of publication, representatives for Legend had not responded to the Algemeiner’s request for comment.

DJ Questlove of the Roots and other musical guests will be performing at the event as well and American sign language interpreters will be available for the hearing impaired.

A contest held by the UJA-Federation of New York’s Twitter page yesterday gave away two free tickets to the concert to one lucky winner chosen at random from among those who re-tweeted the event’s information on Twitter. The winner was Gilberto Gil, an internet marketer living in New York.

The event is chaired by three Jewish Manhattan real estate powerhouses: Senior Vice president of Silverstein Properties and Downtown chair of UJA -Federation of New York Lisa Silverstein, Co-CEO of Silverstein Properties Marty Burger, and Magnum Real Estate Group President Ben Shaoul.

Proceeds will go towards the UJA-Federation of New York’s work in fighting poverty and supporting Jewish culture. Their work includes helping those in need of financial assistance including Holocaust survivors, the developmentally disabled, and the elderly as well as supporting educational initiatives to strengthen Jewish identity in Jewish youth. Representatives for the UJA-Federation of New York declined to comment for this story.

Legend, born John Roger Stephens, rose to fame in 2004 with his first album “Get Lifted” which sold 2.1 million copies in the United States and became certified platinum. He has since followed up with three more albums including “Once Again”, “Evolver”, and “Wake Up!” Legend has collaborated with other R&B and rap artists including Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Kanye West and last summer toured with the British soul band Sade. On the ABC music show “Duets” Legend also serves as a judge alongside Kelly Clarkson, Robin Thicke, and Jennifer Nettles.